Dental attachment for removable bridgework



E. H. ECKER 1,990,532

DENTAL ATTACHMENT FOR REMOVABLE BRIDGEWORK .P

Feb. 12, 1935.

Filed June 21, 1950 INVENTOR EVWARV H. ECKER BY [121 A I. M44

ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 12, 1935 ST S DENTAL ATTACHMENT FOR REMOVABLE BRIDGEWORK Edward H. Ecker, New York, N. Y. Application June 21, 1930, Serial No. 462,913

6 Claims.

This invention relates to the type of dental attachments as are used for removable bridgework, and is particularly adapted for dentures of the tooth-bearing class.

Removable dentures employing dental removable bridge attachments as the means for anchoring the denture in the mouth, are divided broadly into two classes, i. e., tooth-bearing or tissue bearing. Tooth-bearing dentures are designed so that the supports for the denture rest upon the abutment teeth in the mouth, while tissue-bearing dentures are designed to be supported upon the gum tissue in contact with the denture. In my Patent No. 1,764,781 I have shown modifications of my dental attachment applicable to both tooth-bearing and tissue-bearing cases. The dental attachment forming the substance of this in vention is intended particularly for tooth-bearing dentures.

The main purpose of the present invention has been the provision of an upright member of simple design with a longitudinally cut groove not extending the full length thereof, i. e., an upright member with a closed bottom body. A further purpose of this invention has been to provide a separate leaf spring member of length to correspond to the length of the groove in the upright member, with the bottom of this spring seated upon the stepped portion of the upright member, preventing the removable denture from settling with recession of the gum tissue. Another object has been to provide a separate leaf spring member permanently mounted upon the socket member permitting a ready adjustment of the degree of frictional engagement between the upright member and co-acting surface of the socket member.

Further objects and features will become apparent in the description as follows and in the accompanying drawing showing a preferred em bodiment of my invention.

Figure 1 shows a view of my removable bridge attachment in perspective.

Fig. 2 shows a view of the socket member of the attachment in perspective.

Fig. 3 shows a view of the double-leaf spring member of the attachment in perspective.

Fig.4 shows an elevational view of my attachment in section.

Fig. 5 shows a view in elevation of the upright member of the attachment.

Fig. 6 shows a view of a removable dental bridge utilizing my attachments in perspective.

Fig. 7 shows a view of a removable dental bridge with the attachment members reversed to the arrangement shown in Fig. 6, in perspective.

The dental attachment forming the substance of this invention comprises an upright member of improved design which is permanently mounted upon an abutment tooth in the mouth, and a socket member formed to engage with the upright member, permanently positioned upon the removable bridge denture, so that the anchorage for the bridge denture is entirely upon the abutment teeth. The upright member is composed of the body 1 integrally joined through the neck 2 to the web 3, reference being had to Fig. 1. The groove 4 is positioned longitudinally in the body 1, diametrically opposite to the web 3, and has been here shown referring toFig. 4, to extend substantially three-quarters the length of the body from the top. The formation of the groove in the body produces the seat 5, with the body 1 closed at the bottom.

The socket 6 is shaped to engage the body 1 in a snug sliding fit, with the recess 7 cut longitudinally and extending the full length of the socket. When the socket 6 is made to engage the body: 1 the neck 2 of the upright member is disposed within this recess '7. In the wall of the socket 6, diametrically opposite to the recess 7, is positioned the rectangular opening 8 provided to receive the spring member 9.

The upright member is held in engagement within its socket by the frictional tensionof the double leaf spring 9 within the groove 4. This leaf spring is composed of a flat rectangular blank of springy metal with one half bent over laterally to lie flat against the other half, reference being had to Fig. 3. The closed edge of the spring is shouldered, or cut in, to form the tail-piece.10, so dimensioned that it may be inserted into the opening 8 of the socket, in a tight fit. The length of the leaf spring 9 should be such that when the upright member and socket are in normal engagement, the lower edge of the spring will rest upon the seat 5 of the body. Ordinarily, and as is shown in the accompanying drawing, reference being had particularly to Fig. 4, the length of ,the spring awould be made equal to the length of the groove 4 in the body. The length: of the tailpiece 10 and similarly of. the opening 8. in, the socket wall should be such as to provide a short length of shoulder at the lower end of the leaf spring 9, producing a more rigid mounting for the spring upon the socket. This leaf spring is joined to the socket so that it seats within the socket, with the tail-piece protruding beyond the socket on the outside. The spring is rigidly supported in this position by riveting over the protruding portion of the tail-piece, and preferably too by the application of solder at the juncture.

There has been shown in Fig. 6 a removable bridge denture 11 of the type generally classified tooth-bearing, provided with two attachments forming the substance of this invention. The upright members of the attachments are permanently mounted, preferaby by solder, to the inlay restorations 12 on the teeth 13. These teeth form the abutments upon which the bridge denture is anchored in the mouth. In a like manner the sockets 6 are permanently mounted upon the bridge denture saddle 14, preferably by solder, and form an integralpart thereof. When the bridge denture 11 is then inserted in the mouth, the sockets 6 will engage over the body portion 1 of their respective upright members, anchoring the refmovable bridge in the desired position in the mouth. The dental technique to perform the mechanical operations required to construct the type of bridgework employin my attachment has not been detailed, as it is well understood by those skilled in this branch of dentistry.

To compensate for the wear and tear-upon'both the upright members and sockets'of the attachment after use in the mouth, and for other causes producing unintentional dislodgement of the bridge denture in the mouth, it is but necessary to wedge apart the leaves of the double leaf spring 9. To perform this any sharp edged or pointed instrument may be employed, and the instrument should be applied at the top of the spring to produce a V shaped opening, with the leaves of the spring remaining closed at the bottom. This expanding of the leaf spring 9 increases the frictional resistance holding the upright member in engagement in its socket.

In the various views of the drawing the dental attachment forming the substance of my invention has been shown circular in shape merely for convenience. My design of dental attachment may be made oval in shape, as is shown in a modification revealed in my Patent No. 136M781, or in any other convenient shape. The method of application of my attachment may be just as readily employed, reference being had to Fig. '7 in a reversed manner from that shown in Fig. 6. Should it prove desirable, the upright members may be mounted upon the bridge denture saddle 14 and the sockets upon the inlay restorations 12 with practically the same results, and the same method of functioning. The technique in this method of application is substantially the same as for the first method. Other changes and modifications in detail may be resorted to without departing from the'features of my invention as expressed in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A dental attachment for removable bridgework comprising an upright member adapted to be permanently joined to an abutment tooth in the mouth provided with a longitudinally positioned groove terminating in a closed bottom, a coactin'g socket member open at the top and bottom adapted to be permanently. seated upon the removable denture to engage with the upright member and a separate double leaf spring member permanently mounted upon the socket member adapted to cooperate in the groove of the upright member.

2. A dental attachment for removable bridgevvork, comprising an upright member with a longituclinally grooved body closed at' the bottom, a coacting socket member to engage with the upright member provided with an opening in the wall thereof and slotted the full length thereof diametrically opposite the opening in the wall and a shouldered double leaf spring member adapted to engage within the said grooved body permanently seated in the opening in the wall of the socket member.

3. Ina dental attachment forremovable bridgework of the class described, a longitudinally grooved upright member closed at the bottom, a coacting socket-member and a frictional tension ing spring member composed of two leaves formed by bending over on itself a piece of fiat metal shouldered to form a tail piece and adapted to be permanently mounted upon the said socket member. V

4. In a dental attachment for removable bridgework of the class described, a grooved upright member closed at the bottom, a coacting socket member and a-frictional tensioning spring member permanently mounted upon the socket member comprising two individual flat leaves abutting each other shouldered laterally at one end and joined along the shouldered edge and adapted to be seated upon the closed bottom of the cooperating groove of the upright member.

5. A dental attachment for removable bridgee work, comprising an upright member with a longitudinally grooved bodyclosed at the bottom, a coacting socket member provided with an opening in the wall thereof and a double leaf spring member shouldered to form a tail-piece for permanently mounting the spring member in the opening in the wall of the socket member, the said leaf spring member corresponding in length to the length of the groove in the body of the upright member.

6. A dental attachment for removable bridgework of the class described, comprising an upright member. for seating upon a removable denture provided with a longitudinally grooved body closed at the bottom, a coacting socket member to be permanently mounted upon an abutment tooth restoration in the mouth provided with an elongated opening in the wall thereof and a double leaf springmember shouldered to form a tail piece adapted to be permanently seated in the opening of the socket member with the leaf elements disposed to groove of the upright body. I

EDWARD H. ECKER.

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